IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges
By now you should have decided on which veterinary degree that you wish to obtain, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Arroyo Grande CA area and across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, which include internship programs and accreditation. And obviously you want to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are considering.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's imperative that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a rigorous review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not obtainable for non-accredited colleges. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited school is frequently a prerequisite for employment for many Arroyo Grande CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The veterinarian college or vocational school and program you choose must have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include looking on internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some Arroyo Grande CA vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs established with Arroyo Grande CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a position after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech program may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate could mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might indicate that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Arroyo Grande CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you may receive little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Request from the Arroyo Grande CA programs you are looking at what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Okay, we already covered location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your Arroyo Grande CA home, you need to make sure that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located close by or within a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. Of course taking online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary schools you are exploring offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Arroyo Grande CA. Some might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.